Method and apparatus for treating feathers.



J. DE PAOLI. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FEATHERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. e, 1913.

1, 1 1 1,530. V Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Kmmawax W ZM THE NORRIS PETERS 50.. F'HDTO-LITHO WASHINGTON. D. C.

inrrnon im Ami menus FOR TREATING nnhzriinns.

Zb aZZ 'wlz omit may concern: *Beritl'niownfthat I, JOHN DE PAoLn a citizen of the United States, and 'a resident of the borough of 'Manhattan, city,-; county, and State of NewgYork, have invented certainln'ew and 'usefuhlmprovements' in- Methods" and Apparatus for Treating Feathers, of which the following is a specification.

" My-[invention relates .to the treatment of plumefeathers, particularly ostrich feathers,

after they have been washed, bleached, rinsed (dyedif 'for colored plumes) "and V starched in theusual course of preparation for the market, and is designed tofacilitate 15 and render more effective the process of drying, eliminatingmthe starch and opening up, spreading5'and jflufling jthe component parts of'the feather. a p j the raw feathers in bunches are first washed in soap and water to remove grease, &c., bleached,

rinsed, dyed if for color other thanfwhite,

and then immersed, and gently agitatedrin a bath impregnated with starch which latter penetrates not only between the barbs or'vanes (k'nown in the trade asfthe flues) of the 1 feathers, but also insinuates itself between the-fine delicatefibro'us hairs or lateral protruberances of the barbs and prevents adjacent parts adhering directly to each other during thesubsequent manipu lation of the feather: Hence the problem is to. open up the component parts of the 3 feather andeliminate the starch in the most expeditious and'efi'ective manner, whichfI accomplish by my in vention, a distinctive feature of which consists in subjecting the feathers while carried on the periphery" of a rotating drum in" an inclosed chamber to theac'tion of an air blast'in'partial vacuum or "exhaust as hereinafter more fully set forth,-an"incidental feature being the provision of means for arresting and recovering feathers that may become detached in the-process.

"IIntheaccompanying drawings, which are more ofless" diagrammatic and symbolical,

but sufficient to illustrate the principle involved and the practical application of my invention, Figure 1, represents a sectional elevation; Fig.2, a plan with parts broken awaytand Fig. 3, ajdetail.

been attached to' rotatable drums and subjected'tothe action ofra'rotating flail,which' latter it is one ofthe objects of my inven- Specificationiof Letters Patent. Septg22, 1914.? Application filed November 6,1913. Seria1 No.7 99,445.

I am awarefthat 'heretofore'feathers have 1 tion to dispensef'wi-thsince the flail is liable jto tear anddisintegrate the delicate fibers which form the most important and attractive portion ofthe plume. For this reason I- open up the feathers and separate the starch therefrom by means of an: air

I blast inlieufof direct mechanical contact or beating-as heretofore, the pressure ofthe alr being {sufficiently positive to dislodge the starch particles without injury to even the fluff ofthe feather,-and the dislodged 1 starch being removed and recovered for reuse by means of a partial vacuum which raids materially in the process of opening up,

drying and cleansing the feathers. For these reasons I mount the rotatable cylinder or drumjD in a casing C, provided with doors 0, c, or other suitable means ofclosure, and connect the rear of the casing with an exhaust flueE which extends to and cornmunicates with an exhaust fan E.

B is an air 'blastpipe positioned in the upper part'of'thechamber formed by the casing and communicating through the conduit b, with the air blast fan 13'. The air blast pipe Bis situated in proximity to the peripheralsurface 0f the drum D and par allel to the axis thereof or substantially so, and is formed with-a series of holes or nozzlesb', "on the side nearest thedrum to deliver the air under pressure substantially at right angles to feathers uponthe periphery of the drum D;

The latter may be constructed in any suitable manner, as by end disks supporting longitudinal slats (Z, d, whichare preferably spaced apart slightly to admit of air circulation. The bunches of feathers," tied in seriesto cords in'the usual way, after the excess of moisture taken up in the starch bath has been drained off by centrifugal force or otherwise, aresuspended upon certain slats of the drum by meansof snap hooks d (see Fig. 3) of well known "construction,' or by any other" preferred me.-

chanical expedient, the bunches hanging loose from the suspending cords as heretofore and being free to adapt themselves to the motion of the drum across which they assume tangential positions substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis ofnthe drum, the defiectors'd (Z2, (Z preventing their assuming radial positions under' the centrifugal action. These deflectors must not be considered as beaters n any sense of. the Word, their only function being to guide and aline the feathers in close proximity {6" the periphery of'the drum as the latter r0 tate's in the direction of the arrow, in Which.

direction it will be noted also that the defi tors. n lin tat obtus ngl v Theair prior to its, injection into the inclosed chamber and against; the feathers on the, periphery ofthe drum," may be; heated to any .degreeexpedient to facilitate the drying; of the feathers as wellias the dislodg: ment of the starch therefrom; andthe air pressure used is adapted to efi'eCt this ,displacement-of starch andtthec drying; of the feathers, Without, danger. of injury to the delicate fluffy portions of the-latter.

I As anauxiliaryto. the air ,blast andact-v ing in, conjunction .therewith,,the partial vacuum or exhaustis'important in creating anair current Which-not only ncreases the efficiency. of. the air blast, but valso abstracts, removes, and collects for re-usethe starch eliminated from thefeathers,-the discharge, passage, e, of the exhaust .fan B, being connecte d' for this. purpose With a collecting chamber not shown-inf the drawings and of any; desired construction,

.Feath rsof e e g be m I tached-during treatment are precipitated ers thus treated are much more -perfect,more fullyopened up, and more attractive in appearance than those which are flailed in the method.

old Way. Furthermore the elimination of the starch is. complete and. the fluff expandedto, the fullest extent; and all this is accomplished Witha saving of time, labor and starch, sothat my invention is really an important advance in the art. The use of this method and apparatusnot only obviates danger of injury to, the feathers but also; prevents the contamination of. the atmo'sph ere by the starch Hour and is hence more healthful and sanitary than the old What. Iclaimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. The method herein described ,of treating, starched feathers for the purpose desig nated, consisting in subjecting them while supported on the periphery of a rotating drumto an exteriorly-applied forced air blast only substantially asset forth.

nated, consisting in, subjecting them Whilesu'pported on'the periphery of a rotating :dium in, an inclosure to an exteriorly-ap:

plied forced air blast only substantiallyas set forthp. 3. The method herein described of treating starched feathers for, the purpose-desig-g mated: c nsi t ng; in s.ubie lt ng: hen: stm a ex sriorlytpp ied a o ed 1:; a 1asa-on1y while supported on, the periphery of; er r- :2; The methodhereindescribedof treating-starched'feathers for the purpose desighatingL drum: n nc os onn c si wit us .s b tanti lyess tf h -1 ppar tu f, t e xchar t ra esigs nan the o b na i n o a r a a le; p rforated drum, ,means for, supporting, feathers qni ire iph y e eef, an means i' stin -y an r t:- nly ga st t e r r Ph ry 0t a d um d a n t e ath: ers and through the perforation: ofgthe drum substantially; as set forth;

5. In apparatus ;of. -heg-characterudesigs nated the, combination of a rotatable perforated drum, means for supporting feathers on the periphery thereof, an; inclosure; for said, drum, and means,for,directing a blast the perforationsof the, substantially as set forth. II. appa-ratus,.of;thecharacter desig;

said inclosure, and means, for, directing, a

ans f r PP .-t s-: e h rs w herer phery thereof,, an nclosurefor said drum, means for exhausting air from. said incloa "sure, a flue connecting said exhaust {means i nl f new he p ri hery id :1 drum and against thei. feathers ,and through 1 nated, the combination oflalrotatable perfo rated drum,[means for SuppOrting' feaEhers on' thef periphery thereof, an i-iirclosure for said drum, mans forr'exhausting, air from blast only} of air 'agains'tgthe. eripheiygof hated, the combinationofa rotatableqdrum, 3

with said inclosure, 'a screen in said iflue, a

man-hole and y cover acent vthereto, and meansjfor directin a blast; of air against the periphe set forth, V

8. The method herein set forth.,of; ;treata ,Slg" nated cons sting in. subgectmg themto a forced airwblasti only .substantiallyas "set ing starchedofeathers for the purpose;

forth. r t H 1 9, The method herein set forth ofitreating s ar f ers f r the parrow. es gna ed consisting in treating them; the simnlta;

5; f :S ld d um s bstant l? as neous action of an exteriorly-applied forced of said support an air blast only against said air blast only and an exhaust substantially support, and an air exhaust connected with as set forth; 'saidrinclosure, substantially as set forth. 10. Apparatus of the character designated JOHN DE PAOLI.

5 comprismg a supgort for the starched feath- Witnesses:

ers, an inclosure or same, means for loosely MORRIS WEISS, suspending the; feathers upon the exterior, 'GEO. WM. MIATI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Gommissioneros Patents,

" a 1 Washington, D. 0. 

